Cultured Left Foot
by SweetProserpina
Summary: Draco enters sixth year bringing a forbidden object to school with him. Will it pull him into a world he's never known? Or will it push him towards his ultimate destiny. Read to find out!
1. New Alliances

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Harry Potter et al. belong to JKR. Story inspired by watching Bend it like Beckham... which is also sadly, not mine.

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**Cultured Left Foot**

Chapter 1: New Alliances

"Ten... eleven... twelve... thirteen... fourteen..." Draco counted to himself. If he kept focused he was positive he would reach twenty-five easily. So engrossed in his task he failed to hear the solid steps resounding in the hallway. It wasn't until he heard the strong rapping on the door to his chamber that his concentration broke and a heavy thump was heard inside the room.

"Blast!" he muttered.

His father pushed the door open as Draco quickly nudged the football under his bed.

He watched as his father' eyes swept swiftly around the chamber, looking for the errant muggle toy. Nothing.

"Son," he spoke softly, "did I, or did I not, hear one of those blasted balls drop before I entered?"

Draco swallowed, trying to remain unaffected by his father's tone. "No sir, I've rid the house of them as you requested." He replied, taking care to keep his gaze steady on his father.

"Sit down for a moment Draconis."

"But father, shouldn't I be leaving for the Express?"

"It won't take a moment." Draco felt a small push from bit of his father's magic. It landed him on his school trunk.

"Now, I know I have made this clear on many previous occasions, but to make it crystal; I will not tolerate any deviations of behavior this year. You are a pure-blooded wizard Draconis, you will act like one in all occasions and circumstances. Your mother and I have been guilty of coddling you when you were younger, but no longer will we be lenient. We have great things planned for you, son, there will be no more tom-foolery. Severus will be reporting to me on a regular basis. If you fail to live up to my expectations... well... let's not worry about that, shall we? There will be no trouble. Isn't that correct?"

"Yes, sir." Draco lowered his head in acceptable submission. He didn't want to fathom what would befall him if he let his father down.

"Good, son, good. Now go downstairs to the lounge and kiss your mother goodbye, she will be terribly lonely with both you and I away."

Lucius turned and left the room, leaving Draco alone again. Crouching, he reached under his bed and withdrew his football, casually tossing it up in the air as he contemplated his father's words.

Since his first year he had left the toy at home while he went away to school, only playing with it during the lonely summer months at the manor. However, now that it was a banned item he would have to take it with him. He had no choice. The house elves would surely find it among his things and report it to his father before he left for parts unknown. Popping the lid to his trunk, he shoved the offensive item into the neatly folded piles of clothing, and closed it back up. Turning his back to it, he grabbed his cloak off his bed and headed downstairs to say goodbye to his mother.

* * *

Arriving only slightly early for the Hogwart's Express, Draco had little time to find a valet to handle his trunk and then situate himself comfortably in his own compartment. Luckily, he didn't have to waste time getting smothered by parents and well-wishers. 'Errgh,' Draco thought to himself, 'the sentimentality some people show in public is disgusting.' 

He had seen the Weasleys rush in through the gate, with Potter in tow, all hugging and kissing their goodbyes. 'It is no wonder they're considered lower-class,' he reflected. 'Honestly, did no one ever teach them the common rules of etiquette? Father would be apoplectic if anyone in our family attempted that.'

Moving through the train, Draco glanced through the compartment windows to find a vacant space. He passed the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle with only a nod in their direction; he had seen them only a week ago at the Crabbe's Annual Summer Picnic in Avebury. No, he decided to share a compartment with Nott, who, according to his recent Hogwart's letter, he would be sharing a room with this year.

As he approached the compartment he studied the tall, stringy boy. Draco had never really known him very well. They were acquaintances at best, accordingly. Class-wise, they were equals, and thinking on it, that was probably why they hadn't moved in the same circles. Lucius Malfoy always preferred to have the highest status in any group he associated with socially. The biggest fish in a little pond. Upon entering Hogwarts, Draco already had a small group of comrades because of this and hadn't bothered to enlarge it.

He knew Nott's father was involved in the same business as his father though, and so chose to proceed with caution.

He rapped a hand quietly on the compartment door, getting Nott's attention. Nott looked up from his book and signaled for Draco to enter. Nodding politely, Draco came into the compartment and sat opposite his new dorm mate, carefully taking off his leather gloves as he prepared to greet the other boy.

"Malfoy," Nott began instead, "I was wondering when I'd see your face around here, I had a feeling that you'd be by to chat before we reached Hogwarts."

"Really?" Malfoy quirked an eyebrow, and let a small smirk escape, "You must excel in Legilimency, then, because here I am, as you see."

"Indeed." Nott surmised. "So, you're to be my dorm mate are you?"

"I suppose." Draco grimaced slightly. "Terribly barbaric don't you think, that we don't receive our own chambers until seventh year?"

Nott cracked a small grin. "Tell me about it, at home I have a complete wing."

Draco let a small chuckle escape and nodded in agreement. This may not be so terrible rooming with Nott, it was rather refreshing speaking with someone who could relate to him. Crabbe and Goyle were fine for security. They were all-right blokes if truth be told, but honestly, they had about the combined mental capacity of a flobberworm.

"Though, it is a step in the right direction. At least, it beats sharing a dorm with four others for the entire school year. Five years of that was more than enough." Nott finished.

The two continued chatting about small things until the witch with the trolley came around.

The witch hesitated at the compartment containing the two well-dressed young wizards, she watched them quietly, noticing their straight posture and attentive manner. Nott noticed her first, and turned towards the door, raising a demeaning eyebrow at being interrupted.

"What do you want, witch?" He inquired.

"Oh my, yes young sirs, anything off the trolley?"

Nott looked to Malfoy, questioning him with a raised brow.

"One packet of frogs for myself. Nott?" His partner shook his head slightly. "No, then just a packet of frogs."

He handed her a galleon from his robe pocket. Waving her off when she began to pull out change.

The witch nodded gratefully then headed down the hallway to the next compartment.

Draco looked over to Nott, who had pulled out a pomegranate and was judiciously pulling out the seeds to eat.

"Not a sweets fan, I see." Draco presumed.

Nott looked up, and said wistfully, "I don't mind candy, though Bertie Bott's is always a gamble, but I can't stand the taste of chocolate. Like the smell mind you, but you'd have to pay me a princely sum to eat that wretched stuff," pointing to the chocolate frog Draco had begun to eat.

Their conversation was interrupted once again when Potter and his sidekicks decided to enter their compartment, uninvited of course. Draco appraised them with a bored look on his face.

"What, miss me Potter? Honestly, I really don't want to spar with you right now. In fact, I've had a change of heart," he spoke sarcastically, "I really never want to bother with you again. It's far too much trouble." Motioning them away with his hand, Draco turned his gaze back to Nott, ignoring the group in the doorway.

"You're just scared Malfoy, after what we did to you on the train last time, you're afraid we'll do it again."

Draco resisted rolling his eyes. Last time it had been an extremely unfair fight, and not only that, but he had let his temper get out of control, never again would that happen. His father had made it absolutely clear about that; when he had gotten back from Azkaban and heard about the incident. Draco was not about to risk receiving... that punishment again, it had been far more than unpleasant.

"If you please Potter, you're interrupting our conversation. Shockingly, I'm asking you nicely this one time, leave."

They continued to stand in the doorway, slightly confused at Malfoy's behavior.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, bugger off Gryffs." Nott piped up, his patience running out with the dumbfounded students.

The group was startled into action and not knowing what else to say or do, they turned and left. A small redheaded girl was the last to leave, throwing a small wink at Nott before she left, muttering something vaguely like 'Since when did Malfoy grow up?'

Draco had taken notice of the girl's actions, and queried his fellow Slytherin.

"Well, well, Mr. Nott, is there something else I should be told about if I intend to share a room with you over the school year? Sleepovers with redheads, perhaps?" He smirked.

Nott chuckled. "No, no, nothing like that with her... although you may see me with a certain Ravenclaw from time to time. She's just a friend."

"Crossing House boundaries all over the place, you must be very brave or very dim, I think, unless there's some missing bit of information that you haven't revealed."

Nott just grinned at him. "I am neither, but I am a man of many secrets, we'll just have to see how many you get to be privy to, eh?"

Draco leaned back into his seat, a grin curving up his face. "I think I'm going to enjoy this year Nott."

"Call me Alex." He said, stretching out a hand,

"Draco." Draco replied, stretching out his own hand to clasp Alex's firmly.

They shook and drifted back into their conversation.

"Now about this Ravenclaw..."

* * *

Author's etc: it's a start... we'll see where it ends up... any feedback so far? 


	2. Alex Explained

_Disclaimer: JKR owns all the character and world.. I'm just borrowing them for my own amusement._

**Chapter Two: Alex Explained**

"So why not Theodore?" Draco asked, receiving no reply, he tried again. "Alex?"

"Hmm?" Alex looked up from his plate at the feast.

"Why not Theodore?

"Why not Draconis?"

"Point taken. Though Alex seems quite the stretch compared to Theodore."

"My middle name is Alexander, so not really." He explained, stopping to take a sip of pumpkin juice. "Truthfully, it was my Grandmum's doing. My grandfather was also Theodore and to make it less complicated she always called me Alex. Even after he died, Alex stuck. Only my mates call me that though, and as I'm sure you're aware everyone else just calls me Nott. Seems much more fitting anyway, last names demand more respect in my opinion."

Draco nodded in agreement, very few witches and wizards he knew called him Draco, it was almost always Malfoy. Much less personal.

This also added a new bit of information about Nott to Draco's short list. It included precious little, Draco thought distractedly. Every Slytherin knew that in order to assess a wizard properly one needed as much information as possible. So far he knew that Nott's father was in Azkaban due to his unfortunate encounter at the Department of Mysteries, and had not been 'rescued' by the Dark Lord as his own father had been. Alex still had a grandmother in the picture whom he had mentioned the odd time in their conversations today, though he had yet to speak of his mother. Nothing about brothers or sisters had come up, but Draco vaguely recalled that when he first began Hogwarts, one of the Ravenclaw Beaters had been a Nott...brother maybe, or cousin? Interesting.

Alex was still an enigma. Perhaps a little less fuzzy now, but Draco was unsure whether he could trust the boy, there were just too many unknowns. The largest, of course, being which side he was on. His father's allegiences were obvious but that didn't necessarily mean he followed the same path. In fact, with all this interhouse mingling it seemed he hadn't, because of that Draco found it hard to believe that Nott's father was really an active participant in his son's life. Someone around him obviously had a more liberal attitude when it came to purity and so forth to let him get away with it and go unpunished. Very interesting.

"Oi, Draco," Nott spoke quietly across the table, "let's get out of here, Parkinson's about to tell about her trip to Paris for the fifth time tonight, and I'm interested in seeing our new chambers. Let's leave these harpies."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Draco rose and nodded good night to the Slytherins left at the table. Pansy was about to say something to him, but before she could get a word in, he was already on his way out of the Great Hall with Alex following not far behind.

A week into the school year and Draco was getting a clearer picture of Alexander Nott. He seemed to be every bit the shrewd Slytherin in conversation and action but Draco had watched him be singled out by a couple of Ravenclaws and even one Hufflepuff in the hallways during breaks. Draco thought it a strange contradiction, that Alex would let himself be dragged into conversation with them, but shrugged it off, not bothering to ask Alex about it afterwards.

* * *

"Merlin, they're dull." Draco mumbled as he retreated to his room late one Friday night after lolling about the Common room with Crabbe and Goyle. Nott was nowhere to be found, which was not an unusual occurrence, so Draco considered, for the umpteenth time that week, how to spend the time alone. Usually, he studied for his classes but tonight his unfinished Potions essay looked rather unappetizing. It was _Friday night_ for Hades' sake! He was supposed to be having a good time! His gaze shifted from his desk to his trunk, and more importantly to what was locked fast inside it. He had been very good so far, never taking it out, therefore, never risking his reputation by being found with a _Muggle _toy, but he was itching to go out and have a good play with it.

He considered his options carefully. Was anyone likely to be on the grounds tonight? He doubted it. It was rather chilly, but crisp and clear, with enough moonlight to make the pitch visible for him. No one would see him out there surely. With his mind made up, Draco willingly succumbed to temptation and grabbed the football out of the trunk. He hid it under his cloak, not entirely convincing but it would do the job for now, as he headed out of his room and then quickly through the quiet Common room. To get outside, he used an exit not known by most at Hogwarts. It was a small side door that attached to the kitchens, perfect for slipping out of without notice. He scanned the grounds cautiously before he started out to the pitch. There was no sign of any wizard activity that he could see. He was safe for tonight.

He broke the stillness by letting his football land with a soft 'thump' on the turf, he guided it quickly down to the pitch, and after throwing his cloak off into a corner he began to have some fun.

He had been out dribbling and shooting the ball for a couple of hours before he realized how late it had gotten, and decided to pack it in for the evening. With pink cheeks, and breath heavy from exertion, he threw his cloak over his shoulder and headed off the pitch. He continued kicking the ball casually in front of him as he made his way back up to the castle, blissfully drinking in quiet darkness surrounding him after a long practice.

As he entered Hogwart's he hid the ball under his cloak once again and hurried to Slytherin House. Creeping through the Common room he made it easily without notice all the way to his own bedroom door. Ripping off his cloak and palming his football, he nudged the door open.

"Oh, excuse me, I'll be back later." Draco said, startled, as he looked into the room and saw Alex and a beautiful dark-skinned girl sitting very close together, leaning up against the edge of his bed.

Draco turned quickly to go, but was brought back into the room by a call from Alex.

"Don't go mate, forgive me, I forgot to mention that I was having company over tonight." He smirked wisely at the blond-haired boy hovering in the doorway. His smirk didn't last long though, Draco noticed, because the girl swatted Alex firmly in the shoulder for that remark.

"Ow, that hurt Padma!"

"Wuss." She taunted back, rolling her eyes at him as he rubbed his now sore shoulder. She looked up at Draco with guarded eyes, not sure what to make of him. She didn't know of him personally, and only remembered seeing him in passing at the odd all-house prefect meeting. Second-hand reports on his character seemed rather broad. Her best friend Terry had cursed him for his bad behavior on the train last spring, but Alex had spoken very highly of him the past few weeks. Her logical mind decided to see for herself.

"Are you a gentleman or what? Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

Startled once again, this time by the girl's brazen behavior, Draco spoke apologetically.

"Sorry Miss..?"

"Patil."

"Miss Patil. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. I'm Alex's roommate for the year, I fear you'll be seeing rather a lot of me if you continue hanging around with this sorry article."

She let a small grin escape from her lips. "Indeed, I expect I will Draco, and call me Padma, I'm not too keen on formality, not like you two upperclassmen. You know, all that last name business, pulling out chairs, darn this and darn that..."

Alex butted in with his own comment. "I can't help it Padma, I told _you_ it's my Grandmum's fault that I can't curse in front of girls. It's not my prudish sensibilities, I'd have a crackin' go at it if I could, but she'd find me, she'd string me up by my ears I tell you!"

Padma had a hard time not laughing outright at his excuse. "Oh, please! The things I've heard come out of that mouth when you think it's just Terry, Blaise and Tony around. Well, I nev.."

The rest of her speech was cut off by Alex firmly clasping his hand over her mouth. Padma retaliated by reaching over to tickle her way out of it. They both stopped when they heard Draco clear his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the flirting going on in front of him.

"Err... I think I'll go out to the Common room for awhile. It was a pleasure to meet you Padma."

As he left the room he could hear another burst of giggles erupt from the two of them. He made a sour face as he went to sit in a chair by the fire, disgusted at Alex's behavior. What he doing wasting time with a girl like that? Someone so obviously strong-willed and opinionated was certainly not wife material. Women were supposed to be docile and agreeable, as his mother had always been, even how Pansy was, irritating though she might be, at least she acted respectfully. Padma was pretty though, very pretty, and he could forgive Nott for indulgences such as that. She wasn't someone that would normally have caught his eye, but he wasn't one to be unappreciative. He tossed his football in the air in contemplation, and spun it around with his hands, absentmindedly mulling over this new development. This must be the Ravenclaw Alex had mentioned.

A soft click made his head jerk in the direction on his room and he watched as Alex gave the girl a small kiss on the forehead before she skipped over to the exit and snuck out into the halls of Hogwarts, a shiny Prefect's badge giving her easy run of the late night corridors.

Alex walked over to where Draco laid, sprawled out in a wing chair.

"Footie, eh?"

"What are you going on ab.. oh shit." So concerned with catching his roommate, Draco had completely forgotten that he had been holding his football the entire time.Stupid, stupid boy. How was he going to cover this up? Would Nott pass on this information to someone at home, perhaps his father, or worse, Draco's own father? He shuddered at the thought. Lucius had nearly finished him last time when he had gotten caught, and he had been only twelve at that time, Grendel knows what he would do this time.

Alex smiled knowingly, waiting for an explanation.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear, I've got a really good explanation for this... Wait a minute," Draco asked hesitantly, "how do you know what this is?" He held the football up for inspection.

"Let alone a slang term for it, Alex?" Draco inquired, feeling his worry decrease slightly.

Alex grabbed the ball and juggled it briefly. "I'm a winger."

"Pardon me? You're joking."

"During the summer, on a team out of Devon."

"But your dad, your mum, don't they have anything to say about their pureblooded son playing _Muggle_ sport? Your dad's a condemned Death Eater for Hades' sake, how do you get away with it? How do you get away with any of it? The Ravenclaws, the Hufflepuff!"

"A little louder next time Draco, I don't think the entire castle heard you.. To be honest, I couldn't care less what Father thinks, he's locked up, and according to a number of reliable sources, for a very long time. My mum, bless her soul is probably rolling in her grave thinking about it, but as I mentioned, cannot do anything about it, as she sadly, is no longer corporally with us. I answer to my Grandmum, and she allows me more freedoms than anyone ever did before. Family thinks she's barmy, but she's just clever if you ask me. It really is grand, mate. You wouldn't believe all the great fun that can be had in a world like this once you open your eyes to it.

"Like the Ravenclaw?"

"Like the Ravenclaws, the Gryffs, even some Hufflepuffs are okay as mates once you get to know them."

Draco looked at him skeptically. And his grandmother was barmy? The guy had obviously got it from somewhere. Kicking around a Muggle football by yourself from time to time was one thing, but intermingling with other houses, and liking it? Playing footie with Muggles? He liked the sport but to stoop as low as that, he had to be kidding.

"I don't believe you." Draco said finally, unable to comprehend his new friend's lifestyle choice. It just went against everything they had been taught all these years.

"So, don't, it doesn't bother me, just keep it to yourself if you don't mind. But I'm of the opinion, 'don't knock it until you've tried it.' I mean, when was the last time you tried to make friends with a Gryff?"

Images came to Draco's mind quickly, a handshake that was never accepted, the humility of being rejected...his one experience had rather tainted any future possibilities.

"Well, I've had enough for tonight, I'm off to bed, you coming?"

"Nah, I'm going to stay out here for awhile."

Alex left the room without a second glance, leaving the boy to muse over what he had just revealed.

Draco sat long into the night contemplating Alex's words, thinking about his own quiet rebellion with his parents. The harder he fought the darkness, the more he was sucked in to it, like his yelled threat to Potter last year on the train. It was a stupid move, but Draco had panicked upon learning of his father's fate splashed across the Prophet. He would be watched wherever he went, whatever he did would be scrutinized, his house, including his room, would be searched. Draco had only been trying to keep his own secrets safe. His reputation within the wizarding world was paramount to him, and he did his very best to follow the rules his parents had set out for him, with a couple marked exceptions, of course, football being one of them.

Draco sighed distractedly. He liked Alex, he really did. He had felt he could relate to him fairly easily, same values, same background. He had never expected all of this. But then again, maybe he should have, he himself, had even thought of Alex as the quintessential Slytherin. He had shown himself to be shrewd and cunning, disappearing in a moment, and keeping himself an enigma to the general Hogwarts population. And considering what Draco had been told tonight, Alex had an ambition that reached much farther than his own House.

* * *

Author's etc.: Thanks for reading and all the lovely reviews so far. It keeps me inspired! Cheers!-sweetp


	3. A Hero is Born, Sort of

Disclaimer: All the characters and HP world belong to JK Rowling. The plot though, is by yours truly.

**Cultured Left Foot**

**Chapter Three: A Hero is Born, Sort of.**

Alex left Draco alone for the next few days, which gavethe young Malfoyplenty of time to dwell on the recent revelations. Alex faded into the background, and the only time Draco saw him in the Slytherin common room was one night when he was helping Blaise with Arithmancy. Draco, on the other hand, retreated to his secure clique, allowing Pansy to fawn over him, and Crabbe and Goyle to trail after him like lost Crups. Here he was safe, he knew what to expect from these sycophants, and enjoyed the attention they paid to him. The only trouble was that they were incredibly dull. Though Draco had only spent a few weeks in Nott's company, He already missed the comradeship they had developed. It had been so refreshing having someone whom he could relate to, well for the most part. He still wasn't sure what to make of Alex's social beliefs, they were just so different than what they had been brought up to believe. And yet, it seemed that through these new beliefs he had managed to escape the black future that awaited those in Slytherin House. Nott hadn't been sucked into the darkness which tugged at Draco constantly.

The following Friday evening, Draco found himself wandering the halls, a welcome respite from the now stuffy common room, in search of diversion. He had just past the Potions classroom when he heard noises from a nearby alcove. Draco rolled his eyes in dismay, when will people learn to bloody well get a room. Draco had all intentions of ruining their fun and docking points, until he heard a loud giggle followed by a familiar voice muttering, "Shhh, Padma!"

At this turn of events, Draco decided to instead, leave quietly so as not to disturb them, a courtesy he felt Nott would have done for him as well. Turning to retrace his steps, Draco heard the unmistakable heavy footfalls of his Potions Professor thundering down the corridor towards them, probably on his way to the Potions classroom. Draco snapped his head backwards searching for the couple in the alcove and noticed that the giggling and whispers were getting louder, unfortunately the young lovers seemed to be oblivious to anyone but each other. Draco briefly swallowed a grimace at their behavior and thought quickly; first a warning, then he had to distract Snape in order to give them enough time to escape down to the far end of the hall and up the adjoining staircase. Easy, right?

Draco stalked quickly towards the alcove.

"Psst! You there, Nott, Patil!"

They stopped their ministrations abruptly and stared at him, Nott looked rather hacked off.

"Malfoy, do you mind? We w…"

"Quiet, no time, Snape's on his way, he'll butcher you if he finds you here, especially with her."

Draco watched their expressions change instantaneously to ones of fear.

"Shit! But he's never in this corridor on Friday nights! He's supposed to be all cosied up in his quarters with that Reserve Hogwan Brandy I sent."

"Shut your gob! Just go down the hall, stick to the doorways, then up the stairs, I'll cover for you."

Nott flashed a quick smile and pulled Padma along the dungeon wall towards safety. It was none to soon for Snape came into view only moments later with a cross look in his eye.

"Who's down there?" He called, and Draco who was assiduously eyeing a large portrait, turned casually to face his teacher.

"Just me, sir." Snape looked down at the young wizard, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "The common room's terribly stuffy, so I thought I'd take a turn about the dungeons."

"I thought I heard voices, Draconis. And don't tell me it was you, boy. I've known you since you were as nary as big as a hinkypunk, it was not your voice."

"It was that old codger Cadogan. I just watched him ride off. Seems he had quite a falling out with the Crones a painting down the way, had to tell every canvas his grievances, made quite the fuss, if you ask me."

"I didn't boy." Snape glanced around the cavernous corridor, no noise could be heard now. His gaze came back to rest on the adolescent wizard, the boy met his gaze unflinchingly. 'This boy,' Severus thought, 'what a waste.' Snape knew this boy possessed potential, but was helpless against his overpowering father, who had been Severus' best friend once upon a time. Snape shook his head and sighed minutely, then brought back his usual sour expression. 'So be it.'

"Very well. Though you should not be down here Draco," his voice softened slightly, "its past curfew and only prefects on duty have the right to patrol, you know that."

"Yes, sir, I must have lost track of time, I'll get going now."

Snape nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, go to bed my boy. I have to retrieve something from my desk. I bid you good night."

Draco bowed his head briefly in a show of respect, before replying, "Yes, Godfather, good night," and walking calmly down the hall towards the Slytherin House.

* * *

When Draco finally got back to his bedroom he found Alex was there, lounging alone on his four poster, looking slightly pensive. When he noticed that Draco had entered, his expression lightened up, but he continued to stay quiet for a few moments.

Draco walked to one of his bookcases and pulled out a volume, waiting for Nott to speak up. While he was paging through it, Nott asked a questioned haltingly.

"So, everything all clear then? No problems getting away from the Old Boy?"

Draco shook his head distractedly, "No, no problem." Draco turned to face Alex, "A great deal of trouble for a skirt though, wasn't it?"

Alex grinned widely, "Oh, mate, you have no idea. She'd be worth a lot more than that, Merlin's honour, eh."

'A Ravenclaw, worth that?' He thought disgustedly. 'He highly doubted it, why bother, honestly.'

Alex, who could read the skepticism on Draco's face, thought that a demonstration might be in order. In fact, he's earned a night out, after what he had risked for Padma and himself. Alex had been trying to imagine how he could return the favour to Draco and this would be a perfect opportunity. It also might open his eyes a little bit more, and just perhaps his understanding. Hopefully, his coin pouch too, Alex smirked.

With mischief in his eyes, Alex began to present Draco's _reward _to him. An invitation.

"Well, nevermind. Anyways, it's my duty as a gentleman to thank you properly, and I think you deserve a night in good company. Pretty witches, an ickle bit of Vilion that managed to get accidentally stowed in my school trunk.."

Alex's roommate began to smile. A night out sounded perfect. He could get away from that minger and those dunces, and have a proper week-end. Brilliant. Draco brightened up, though from Alex's expression it looked rather like more mischief than he spoke about was involved.

"Sounds very tempting Master Nott, and this group would be..?"

"Well, I can promise you they are all close friends of mine, and are very game for some new blood into our little gatherings. They are also very discreet, if that is what you were getting at."

Alex circled the obvious answer, because Draco knew what it would be anyway. Yes, some are from different Houses, and yes, some are not exactly pure-blooded. But Draco had proven himself tonight to be trustworthy and a good mate, so Alex believed he could handle the small, assorted group that gathered every Saturday night in an abandoned dungeon on the west side of the castle.

Draco raised one eyebrow at him.

"Tomorrow evening, just meet me in here around eight-ish. We'll leave for it together. I'll show you the way. Interested?" Alex grinned cockily.

"Why not? If I spend one more night locked up in here I'm apt to become quite the headcase. Sure, I'll come. As you said, can't knock it until I've tried it, right?"

"That's the spirit." Alex reached over to pick up a book from his bedside table. "Oh, and by the way, have you spent all your allowance this month yet?

Draco looked up, confused. "Hardly, I'm loaded. Why do you ask, need a loan or something?"

"Not yet, mate. But you'll need some dosh for tomorrow night." Alex explained nonplussed, though Draco, eyeing him still looked perplexed. "And I know your going to ask why, but let's just leave it as a surprise all right? Trust me, just this once."

* * *

Don't forget to send me a review to let me know how I'm doing!  
Cheers, -sweetp 


	4. Ante Up

Disclaimer: I'm not JKR, and so forth, but I thank her profusely for such wonderful characters… 

**Cultured Left Foot**

**Chapter Four: Anté Up**

The corridor Alex was leading him down seemed to be getting darker and darker. In fact, Draco was sorely tempted to use a Lumos on his wand to see what the bloody hell his supposed Slytherin mate was getting him into. Draco picked his way along the corridor, hoping his favourite dragon-hide loafers were not getting scuffed as they made their descent into the lower regions of the west dungeons.

Just as Draco was about to let out small sigh of indignation to remind Nott that this was supposed to be a reward, not an endurance challenge, Nott stopped abruptly, and switched the Vilion champagne bottle to his left hand. Raising his wand he tapped out a pattern on the slimy stones of the dungeon. Slowly, the stones began to make a crunching sound and shift outwards to create a small tunnel. Nott ducked down and motioned Draco to follow him through. Draco paused a moment, schooling his features into what he hoped was a cool impassive face that would hide his slight nervousness at being lead into such an unfamiliar situation.

As Draco made his way through the tunnel he could hear voices talking animatedly beyond. He heard laughter as he approached the room, emerging from the tunnel he got his first look at the assemblage of Nott's guests, six teenagers sat around a large round table looking at him with amusement. Draco nodded his head at the crowd in greeting. Nott, standing beside him in the doorway, eased the tension by initiating introductions.

"Oh, come now, everyone knows our resident Slytherin Prince, Draco Malfoy." Alex addressed his friends. Turning to Draco, he motioned for Draco to step forward and meet everyone.

The little redhead was the first to pipe up. "Ah, at last a real challenger for the game, it'll be a pleasure to fleece you proper Malfoy." She stuck her hand out and winked at him.

Draco let a small look of confusion sweep his face, glancing warily at Nott, "Pleasure, Miss?"

"Ginevra, Malfoy," she said with a little shake of her head letting a chuckle escape, "Weasley."

Draco's eyebrows rose infinitesimally, how in Hades' halls had he gotten into this. This went against pretty much his entire upbringing. _Ah, what the hell_, Draco reconsidered, _I trust Alex, plus I'm completely outnumbered anyway_.

Next was a face Draco recognized well, and he reached out to clasp the hand of an olive-skinned boy with long dark hair pulled into a chignon. "Zabini, always a pleasure."

The boy grinned, showing rows of pearly teeth. "Well, be sure to remember that for later tonight when your pockets are considerably lighter. Right, old boy? But it's good to see you away from those horrible goons of yours. I dare say those ogres hardly bathe, and their manners," Blaise scoffed, "I don't know how you put up with them."

"This is exactly why I've opted for your company tonight." Draco grinned slightly.

Feeling more comfortable now, Draco turned slightly to greet the next wizard at the table, a tall, gangly fellow, who looked mildly familiar.

"Terry Boot, Padma's told me quite a bit about you Malfoy." They shook hands hesitantly, before Padma, who was sitting beside him nudged her best friend in the side.

"Oh, play nice you, he's nothing to worry about. A proper gentlemen, right Malfoy?" she said smiling at the blond teen.

"Miss Patil, good to see you again, glad to see that you escaped unscathed from last night's encounter." He teased.

"Well, you know how irresistible old Sevvie is." Padma giggled back, though she blushed slightly at the reminder of last night's events. She quickly countered the redness in her cheeks by wiggling her eyebrows in what was supposed to be an enticing way at those assembled, causing laughter to break out at the table.

Two seats were left empty beside Padma, then completing the circle, Draco greeted a barrel-shaped black haired wizard sitting on the near side of the table who introduced himself as Tony Goldstein and the witch beside him as the 'lovely and talented' Selene Fawcett. Ginny smothered a chuckle, and Selene rolled her eyes in good humor at her boyfriend's description of her.

Nott nodded appreciably, and handed the bottle of Vilion over to Blaise who began to conjure glasses for everyone. Noticing the absence of one of the regular crew, he asked lightly.

"Where's our mascot tonight? Shame she'll miss our guest."

Blaise added, "Speaking of, I haven't seen her all evening, she wasn't at supper, was she?" He turned a questioning brow towards the Ravenclaws in the group.

Smiling good-naturedly, Tony spoke up, "She's built herself a fine fort in the Ravenclaw common room and has decided that an evening of jewelry-making was in order. I tried to convince to come, but it was a no-go."

"Aw, that's too bad, and she's so good at predicting the Shifter. Well, we'll see if we can't convince her to come next time, then." Ginny finished. Draco raised an eyebrow at her for clarification.

"Luna Lovegood, great player when she gets it in her mind to come. Blaise's adopted her as our mascot, radish earrings and all." She grinned at him, knowing it would perturb him to know that information about his fellow Slytherin.

Done with formalities, it was time to have some fun. Alex seated himself next to Padma, and Draco filled in the remaining chair next to Tony.

"So mates," Alex started, "should we let poor Malfoy here know what sadistic pleasures we have in store for him? Gin, will you do the honours?"

"No worries Alex." She pulled out a thick pack of playing cards. "It's Wizard's Poker, Malfoy." Her grin widened when she noticed that he looked slightly unsure of himself, "we play basic rules and deck, but just in case you're a little rusty, I'd be happy to remind you. What we have here is a wizard's deck; each of the four suits has thirteen number cards, jack through king, mage. Mages are always high." She looked pointedly at Boot when she said that, before she continued on, "This deck also has four Seers, but remember, they can show you someone's losing hand, just a soon as they'll show you someone's winning hand. Plus there's always the Shifter, we set it on random instead of dealer control, just to make it fair, okay with you?" Ginny grinned at Draco, noting his obvious surprise at the little impromptu lesson.

Draco nodded slowly, racking his brain, trying to remember the last time he played this game. Years, certainly, as Crabbe and Goyle were definitely not keen enough to handle the subtlety of the game.

Alex, trying to lighten the mood spoke up, "Ah, Draco it's not so bad, you'll catch on quick, here have a drink." He handed him a glass, which Draco gratefully sipped at. Music started in the background as a Wireless was flicked on, and the game began.

An hour later, things were beginning to ease up, and Draco was actually enjoying himself, of course the liquor probably helped too. Everyone was friendly, Weasley, the little strumpet, was having far too much fun at his expense, and winning most hands. Luckily they had been playing the last couple hands without her, as she had decided to go in search of a little refreshment.

She returned just after the next hand of cards was dealt. Draco picked them up carefully and was shuffling them in his hands and pondering his options, when they heard the tunnel shift to allow her to enter the dungeon room once again.

"Ah, Gin, you angel you, let me take those butter beers off your hands." Tony complimented as he got up to relieve Ginny of her burden. Not only did she have half a dozen butter beers, but she also carried a basket filled with biscuits, muffins, and cakes. Draco merely raised a surprised eyebrow at her success and turned his head back to the game. He was still trying to decide which cards to discard and how many, when he heard light breathing over his shoulder.

"You should really put those two back, and get two more." She whispered and pointed to the two cards in question. Malfoy looked askance at the red head and whispered vehemently back.

"I never asked for any help Weasley, and stop looking at my ha-" he cut off as he watched the cards in his hand start to change number and suit and heard a background chorus of groans from the rest of the players. The Shifter had just activated.

Ginny poked him in the gut hard and whispered quickly.

"You've got the beginnings of a high straight, and with that poltergeist, you can add to it. And use your Seer, always use your Seer, no matter what Malfoy, odds are always better once you know what cards are out of play."

Looking up at her warily, Malfoy nodded slowly in agreement. He'd forgotten to use the Seer on past hands, preferring instead to trade it in and try his luck for another pair. He didn't particularly like taking advice from a Weasley but since she had been the one winning most of the hands, he saw the logic in it.

With Weasl- Ginevra's help, Draco happily won the hand and the next, before Ginny sat back down at the table and was dealt in. His coach gone, Draco had middling success the rest of the evening, but he was certainly getting the hang of it.

It was going on midnight when the group began to break up; Gin and Lene were the first to leave, having the farthest to go to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff respectively. Draco noticed that they pulled out an old piece of parchment and studied it for a moment before calling goodbye to everyone and ducking out, a map perhaps? The Ravenclaws were next; since they were already in the right wing it was easy for them to sneak back up to their common room from the dungeon. That left the Slytherins, Alex, Draco, and Blaise, still sitting casually at the table, swirling the dregs of their butter beers, and reflecting on their successes (and in Draco's case, losses) of the evening.

Leaning back in his chair, Alex stifled a long yawn, breaking the pleasant silence that had fallen over the boys. Draco took advantage of the break and asked his two fellows a question that had been bothering him all night.

"So, it's always like this, hm?"

Blaise looked over towards him, slighly tipsy, and started batting his eyelashes, "what do you mean, Malfoy? Do we always fleece handsome young aristocrats? Well, we try but they are so few and far between these days, it's hard to get one that meets all the criteria..."

Alex threw a crumpled napkin at the boy, "Shut up, you drunken Pouf," he laughed. Turning towards Draco, he commented.

"More specific mate."

"Well, you know, everyone all cheery and getting along like that? Doesn't it blow up in everybody's faces sometimes? And they all put up with us Slyths, easy like that? Since when does that ever happen?"

Alex tapped his chin thoughtfully, pretending to be deep in thought. Draco watched him carefully, waiting for an answer.

Slowly Alex began to speak, "How should I put this, er... yes, no, most of the time, about fifth year." He looked over to Blaise to make sure he'd got that right.

"Yep, about fifth year."

The expression on Draco's face clearly asked for more of an explanation.

His mate sighed, "Listen, did you have a good time tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Did knowing that some of the witches and wizards playing tonight were from Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, or even Ravenclaw, affect you enjoyment of the evening?"

Draco thought about the question a little before answering. "No, not really I suppose. I was surprised at first. But since no one was wearing their house emblems I kind of didn't notice after awhile." He looked at his friend, surprised at his own answer.

Blaise stood from the table and whisked the mess away with his wand.

"Quite right, why on earth let a _hat_ discern who you can and can't associate with. That's my motto. Now I'm bushed and I think sloshed, let's get back, what do you say?"

* * *

Author's etc: More to come, thanks for putting up with the inevitable procrastination on my behalf... Cheers! Review if it pleases… 


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